Barrett Salvages Point from Chivas
- Updated: June 30, 2013
Facing a long flight back to Boston from Los Angeles with nothing to show for it, California native Chad Barrett came off the bench to score in the 88th minute to give the New England Revolution a 1-1 draw against Western Conference bottom-feeders Chivas USA.
Barrett entered the game in the 83rd minute and just five minutes later knocked in a cross from Diego Fagundez from close range to silence the crowd of 7,319 at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., and save the Revolution the embarrassment of losing to one of the worst teams in MLS.
The draw keeps New England (5-5-6, 21 points) in sixth place in the East, two points out of the fifth and final playoff spot. Chivas (3-10-3, 12 points), despite ending a seven game losing streak, remains dead last in the West, a full nine points back from eighth place and 12 points out of a potential playoff spot.
New England made three changes to the line-up that lost 4-3 to the Vancouver Whitecaps two weeks ago with Jerry Bengtson slotting in up top for Juan Agudelo, who was injured in the Revolution’s Open Cup loss to D.C. United earlier this week, Ryan Guy playing right back in place of the suspended Andrew Farrell, and Cylde Simms replacing Scott Caldwell in the midfield.
The match started slowly, but after some early long range shots from Chivas, New England had a chance off a 16th minute corner kick when a Chivas defender played a poor back pass to ‘keeper Dan Kennedy, giving the visitors the set piece. Chris Tierney delivered the corner, which found the head of Stephen McCarthy, but he couldn’t direct it on frame.
Chivas would take the lead two minutes later when the Revolution failed to clear a long distance shot from Josue Soto and it eventually fell to Laurent Courtois, who impressively volleyed a shot past Bobby Shuttleworth from outside the box to give the home team a 1-0 lead.
Lee Nguyen came close to equalizing a minute later, but his free kick from distance was denied by the crossbar.
New England had another chance in the 28th minute when Nguyen sent Tierney down the left flank after a broken corner kick. Tierney sent in a dangerous ball to the far post, that Fagundez attempted to volley on frame, but could only send into the side netting from a tight angle.
Courtois nearly set up a second goal for Chivas in the 34th minute when he beat Jose Goncalves on the right side of the box and sent a low pass to Tristen Bowen. The Chivas forward turned to shoot, but his effort was deflected just wide by McCarthy.
Then early in the second half the Revolution had a chance to level the score when Diego Fagundez played Tierney into the left side of the box. Tierney hit a shot on frame, but Dan Kennedy was quick to get down and tip the ball out of danger.
Bengtson though he had finally knotted the score in the 62nd minute, when Nguyen played him behind the defense and he slotted it past Kennedy, but Bengtson was correctly ruled offside on the play.
Two minutes later it was Fagundez in with a chance in the left side of the box, set up by Kelyn Rowe, but the 18-year-old’s shot was well saved by Kennedy.
A minute later Gabriel Farfan headed a corner on frame for Chivas, but Shuttleworth made the save.
Barrett would finally come off the bench and grab the equalizer in the 88th minute when Fagundez got the ball on the right flank with the Revolution desperately pushing numbers forward. Fagundez sent a cross towards the far post that was met by Barrett, who got just enough on it to knock it past Kennedy for his second goal of the season, knotting the score at 1-1.
The Revolution return to action on Saturday, July 6, with a home match against the San Jose Earthquakes.
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